Reusable combat expendable container for gasoline or water



April 10, 1962 W. w. cUsHMAN A 3,028,986

REUSABLE COMBAT EXPENDABLE CONTAINER FOR GASOLINE OR WATER Filed Nov.24, 1959 ink? INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent Q 3,028,986REUSABLE COMBAT EXPENDABLE CONTAINER FOR GASOLINE OR WATER Walton W.Cushman, Webb City, Mo. (6428 Lnmar Drive SE., Washington 22, D.C.)Filed Nov. 24, 1959, Ser. N0. 855,245

8 Claims. (CI. 217-3) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), sec.266) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufacturedand used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without'thepayment to me of any lroyalty thereon. n

This invention relates to reusable portable containers for liquids andparticularly vto containers for hand-carrying gasoline or water, whichmay be manufactured at suiciently low lost to be expendable.

One of the primary objects of the invention consists in providing such acontainer which is collapsible orv foldable so that it may be readilystacked at low cost for shipping and storage, when empty.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an extremelylight-weight container, yet one which is strong and durable inoperation.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of alight-weight container having a liquid-proof lining provided with aleak-proof seal.

Another object of the invention consists in so designing the containerthat it may be readily stacked in a variety of ways when filled so as tooccupy a minimum of space.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefolllowing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

lFIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the novel container;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view of the container in collapsedcondition;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal sectional View of the container in collapsedcondition taken on the line `6--6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of the liner or bladder and themeans for sealing the same; and

FIGURES 8 and 9 are elevational views showing two of the ways in whichthe containers may be stacked.

Referring to the drawings more specifically and by refernumerals, therigid sides of the container A are indicated by the numeral 1 and arepreferably formed of plywood perforated as indicated by the numeral 2 soas to very substantially reduce the Weight thereof. The outer surfacesof the rigid side members are covered by fabric sheet 3 which may beadhesively secured to the surfaces in any well-known manner and theinner surfaces may be similarly covered if desired. The sidewalls 1 arehingedly connected together at their upper ends as indicated by thenumeral 5, and the hinge consists of the fabric sheet 3 which is ofintegral construction and extends completely around the container toalso provide a support for the bottom of the container. The upper end ofthe container is preferably provided with three pairs of hand openings6', which are formed in the upper end of each of the side walls andcomplementarily arranged so that the hand may extend through bothopenings of any pair. These openings also provide for the reinforcementof the hinge by reason of fabric strips 7, which extend through theopenings and are adhesively connected to the side Walls of the containerjust above the hand openings.

The end or edge walls of the container are indicated ICCl by the numeral8 and are of fabric, such as the fabric 3, and hence are collapsible soas to permit the collapsing of the container into the position shown inFIGURE 5 when the side Walls are swung toward each other through themedium of hinge 5. The fabric of these end walls 8 may be formed oflateral extensions of the fabric 3, or they may be made of extra stripsof fabric attached to the side wall in any preferred manner. The rigidbottom of ythe container preferably consists of a plywood board 9 whichmay be provided with a plurality of openings similar to openings 2 toreduce its weight, and this member is connected on its inner surface tothe inner surface of one of the Walls 1 by a fabric strip 10 whichpermits the bottom to be swung upwardly into the collapsed positionshown in 4FIG.'5.

The collapsible container', just described, serves a's` an outer casingfor a liquid-proof liner or bladder 11, provided with a neck portion12,'which extends upwardly and outwardly through an enlargement 13 ofthe central hand opening 6 of the container and is adapted to be clampedbetween the `two sections 14 of an axle portion of a small reel providedwith end discs 15. These discs are apertured at 16, and are adapted toclamp the two sections 14 together after the outer end of the neckportion 12 has been placed therebetween; thereafter, the reel is givenseveral turns so as to securely seal the neck 12, and the priphery ofthe discs 15 are preferably provided with notches 17 adapted tointerlock with the upper edges of the side walls 1 at the opening 13 soas to retain the reel against inadvertent unwinding. Y

In order to adequately close the upper end of the outer container 1, apair of Afabric strips 18 extend across the outer pairs of hand openings6 and are secured to the side walls so as to completely close the spacebetween the side walls at those points, and addiitonal strips 19 areextended across the openings ybetween the side walls 1 at the point 13where the neck 12 of the bladder 11 extends to the exterior so as tofurther reinforce that portion of the container.

As heretofore indicated, this container is intended for use in carryinga small amount of gasoline or water, perhaps five gallons, and is soconstructed as to be collapsible for storage purposes, when empty, asshown in FIGURE 5, and is of triangular outline when expanded, asindicated in FIGURE 3, so that it may be compactly stored in variousWays as indicated in part in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The liner l1, of course, may be installed in the outer casing at anytime and the sealing reel 14-15 need not be employed in the combinationuntil the liner is lled with the liquid to be transported. Thereafter,the outer end of the neck 12 is placed between the sections 14 of thereel body, as heretofore mentioned, and secured in clamping position byplacing the discs 15 over the ends of the body 14, as shown in FIGS. 1and 2, and the notches 17 are caused to engage over the upper edges ofthe sidewalls 1, so as to secure the reel against unwinding. It willthus be seen that the neck 12 is securely closed against leakage, evenwhen the fully charged containers are placed in the stacked position, asshown in FIGS. 8 and 9 or otherwise.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described what I nowconsider to be the preferred form of the invention but inasmuch asvarious minor changes may be made in structural details withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, it is intended that all suchchanges be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible triangular container comprising a pair of rigid sidewalls pivotally connected together at their upper ends and provided withhand hole openings adjacent the pivot, a bottom wall pivotally connectedto the bottom edge of one of the side walls, and collapsible end wallsconnected to the edges of the side walls, a liquidproof receptacleformed of flexible material positioned in the collapsible container andterminating in a neck portion extending through one of the hand holeopenings, and means disposed in one of said hand hold openings forsealing the neck portion, said means including a reel about which theneck portion is Wound.

2. In combination a collapsible container formed of rigid wallspivotally connected at their upper ends, a liquid-proof receptacleformed of flexible material positioned in the container and providedwith a neck portion extending to the exterior of the container, andmeans associated with the walls for sealing the neck portion, said meanscomprising a reel having a two-part axle portion between which the endof the neck portion is clamped and apertured discs receiving the ends ofthe axle portion, whereby the neck portion is reeled onto the axle to bemore securely sealed against leakage.

3. In combination a collapsible container formed of rigid wallspivotally connected at their upper ends, a liquid-proof receptacleformed of flexible material positioned in the container and providedwith a neck portion extending to the exterior of the container, andmeans adapted to be associated with said neck portion and walls forsealing the neck portion, said means comprising a reel having a two-partaxle portion between which the end of the neck portion is clamped andapertured discs receiving the ends of the axle portion, the periphery ofthe discs provided with notch means for interlocking with a rigidportion of the container, whereby the neck portion is reeled onto theaxle to be more securely sealed against leakage.

4. A collapsible triangular container comprising a pair of rigid sidewalls, means for pivotally connecting said walls together at their upperends comprising a sheet of flexible fabric covering the outer surfacesof the walls and extending across the upper edges thereof, said fabricalso extending across the side edges of the rigid walls to providecollapsible end Walls, a rigid bottom wall pivoted to the lower edge ofone of the side walls, said side walls adjacent their pivot beingprovided with three complementary hand openings to facilitate handlingof the container, and exible closure strips having their respective endsconnected to said side walls through certain of said hand openings.

5. A collapsible container having a pair of like fiat and generallyrectangular rigid side Walls hingedly connected together at theiradjacent upper ends and being swingably free within a predeterminedlimit at their lower ends to move from a collapsed to and from anexpanded condition, a rigid bottom board-like member hingedly connectedalong one longitudinal edge of the inner face at the lower end of one ofsaid side walls and being unattached to the other side wall, said rigidbottommember providing movable means for maintaining said side Walls insaid expanded condition, an outer fabric sheet covering substantiallyall of the side walls and rigid bottom member, said sheet includingportions providing end walls interconnecting said rigid side walls andalso a portion underlying the board-like bottom member to provide aclosed bottom for the container, said side walls having hand holdportions adjacent their upper ends, and a liquidproof liner formed fromexible material within the collapsible container terminating in ascalable dispensing neck portion accessible from the exterior of saidcontainer through a side wall thereof,

6. A collapsible container according to claim 5, wherein the rigid sidewalls are formed from plywood and have a plurality of spacedperforations therein whereby to reduce the weight thereof.

7. A collapsible container having a pair of like at and generallyrectangular rigid side walls hingedly connected together at theiradjacent upper ends and being swingably free within a predeterminedlimit at their lower ends to move from a collapsed to and from anexpanded condition, a rigid bottom board-like member hingedly connectedalong one longitudinal edge of the inner face at the lower end of one ofsaid side walls and being unattached to the other side wall, said rigidbottom member providing movable means for maintaining said side walls insaid expanded condition, an outer fabric sheet covering substantiallyall of the side walls and rigid bottom member, said sheet includingportions providing end Walls interconnecting said rigid side walls andalso a portion underlying the board-like bottom member to provide aclosed bottom for the container, said side walls having hand holdportions adjacent their upper ends, a liquidproof liner formed fromexible material within` the collapsible container terminating in ascalable dispensing neck portion accessible from the exterior of saidcontainer through a side wall thereof, and means for sealing said neck`portion.

8. A collapsible container having a pair of like flat and generallyrectangular rigid side walls hingedly connected together at theiradjacent upper ends and being swingably free within a predeterminedlimit at their lower ends to move from a collapsed to and from anexpanded condition, a rigid bottom board-like member hingedly connectedalong one longitudinal edge of the inner face at the lower end of one ofsaid side walls and being unattached to the other side wall, said rigidbottom member providing movable means for maintaining said side walls insaid expanded condition, an outer fabric sheet covering substantiallyall of the side Walls and rigid bottom member, said sheet includingportions providing end walls interconnecting said rigid side walls andalso a portion underlying the board-like bottom member to provide aclosed bottom for the container, said side walls having hand' holdportions adjacent their upper ends, a liquidproof liner formed fromexible material Within the collapsible container terminating in ascalable dispensing neck portion accessible from the exterior of saidcontainer through a side wall thereof, and means including a reel aboutwhich the neck portion is wound to seal the same.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS645,432 Stohr Mar. 13, 1900 753,063 Goodridge Feb. 23, 1904 1,507,156Bunker et al. Sept. 2, 1924 1,623,107 Goodykontz Apr. 5, 1927 1,633,991Litton June 28, 1927 2,400,716 Sattler May 21, 1946 2,574,931 Nason Nov.13, 1951 2,789,728 Britton Apr. 23, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 454,113 GreatBritain Sept. 24, 1936

